Urim and Thummim

In Joshua's day the way of determining the mind of the Lord was through the casting of lots or the Urim and Thummim. The Urim and Thummim were two stones, one black and one white, which the high priest carried in the ephod. The high priest would reach into the pocket and draw out one stone, let us say that if it was white the answer was yes and if the stone was black then the answer would be no. This was the method of finding out who had sinned against the Lord. Acts 1:26 is the last recorded usage of this method of determining God's answer. Today we have the Holy Spirit and the complete canon of Scripture.
Strangely enough some Christians wish to argue that it is alright to gamble because this was the method used in Scripture. It is not hard to see that this is contrary to Scripture. Gambling has nothing to do with the Word of God or the Holy Spirit living within us. Today we need to trust the Holy Spirit to guide us. Gambling shows a lack of trust in the provision and guidance of our God.

But...

Joshua 7 begins with the word "but". Most of the chapters in the book begin with the words "now" or "then" but there is something different in this chapter. There is sin in the camp. In verse 10 the Lord is quoted as saying to Joshua, "Israel has sinned." Achan's sin affected the whole nation.
Though it may not seem as serious when one of the body of believers sins today we must remember that one person's sin does affect the whole body. A pastor or elder gets a divorce and unless it is dealt with there will probably be many more members of the body getting divorced. Though we are not called upon to inflict capitol punishment on the sinning member we are told that we must get rid of the evil from the body. Every step in the discipline of a sinning member is to restore that one to fellowship with the Lord and the other believers.
Let it not be written over the door of our church "but..."

First Fruits

I live in the part of Canada which produces the most fruit and vegetables in Canada. One of the joys of early summer is to go to the raspberry patch to see if there are any raspberries. The first ones that come, the first fruits, always seem to be the most tasty.
The Israelites are told over and over again that the first fruits belong to the Lord. We are to give to the Lord first before we take for ourselves. This lesson was taught to the Israelites again as they took the city of Jericho. Jericho represented the first fruits of the land so everything in that city belonged to Him. What Achan took for himself may have seemed trivial but it belonged to God and was devoted to Him. To take anything from Jericho was to rob God.
We too are to give the first of our increase to God. Not only does it belong to Him (as does everything else) but it reminds us again that we depend upon Him for everything.

True Faith

Chapter six of Joshua is about faith and just in case you miss that point Hebrews 11:30 tells us that it is an example of faith. So did faith make the walls come down? No, God did. Joshua and the Israelites had faith that if they obeyed God's word then it would happen. Ryan Fullerton tells us that there are three points to consider in this chapter:
1. True faith sees what God says.
2. True faith obeys what God says.
3. True faith becomes sight.
Because God has promised that the walls would come down the people had faith that He would keep that promise. Because Revelation 5:9,10 tell us that someday people from every tribe and nation will be made priests and will reign on the earth that it will happen even though that does not seem to be the case today.
The message to everyone today is "Join the Kingdom of God or it will destroy you."

The Ark

One of the things that is obvious as you read through Joshua is the centrality of the Ark. In this chapter (Joshua 6) the Ark is mentioned at least nine times. The Ark was in a prominent position as the Israelites marched around the city. It is not just that they carried a box but that the Ark represented the presence of God. Joshua had learned that he was only the under general to the real leader of the people. Joshua took his orders from the Lord God Almighty. Joshua knew the truth that Moses knew that if God did not go with them then they would not go.

Jericho and the Sabbath

When I read the story of the fall of the walls of Jericho I have a number of questions that run through my mind. Now I do believe that it happened exactly as Scripture tells us but here are my questions.
Did everyone march or just the soldiers or some of the soldiers? If it was only the soldiers and they marched ten abreast the line still might have been 30 km long. Certainly some of the soldiers would have been finished before others even started.
Did they march on the Sabbath? I certainly believe that they did. Did they start on the Sabbath, end on the Sabbath? The distance they marched would have been more than a Sabbath Day's journey (which seems to be a New Testament Rabbinical restriction). Some people try to explain the Sabbath by talking about the lunar Sabbaths. However, in my mind I am sure that they marched on the Sabbath, after all the Lord commanded it and He is the Lord of the Sabbath.
Did they doubt the wisdom of Joshua and his unorthodox military strategy?
How long was the march? Some estimate that the circumference of Jericho was less than a kilometre so if the distance was about 1 kilometre I am sure that they took at least 2 hours to march around Jericho on the seventh day.
I have questions but I know that they did it and that God honoured their faith.

Devotional for May 1

This morning I was reading in the old devotional book, Streams in the Desert, and the devotional for today was about faith. Since faith is the subject of our lesson for this coming Sunday I thought I would share the whole devotional with you. It is worth the read.
Streams in the Desert for May 1
“God that cannot lie promised.” Titus 1:2
Faith is not working up by will power a sort of certainty that something is coming to pass, but it is seeing as an actual fact that God has said that this thing shall come to pass, and that it is true, that rejoicing to know that it is true, and just resting because God has said it.
Faith turns the promise into a prophecy. While it is merely a promise it is contingent upon our co-operation. But when faith claims it, it becomes a prophecy, and we go forth feeling that it is something that must be done because God cannot lie. – Days of Heaven upon Earth.
I hear men praying everywhere for more faith, but when I listen to them carefully, and get at the real heart of their prayer, very often it is not more faith at all that they are wanting, but a change from faith to sight.
Faith says not, “I see that it is good for me, so God must have sent it,” but, “God sent it, and so it must be good for me.”
Faith, walking in the dark with God, only prays Him to clasp its hand more closely. – Phillip Brooks.